Where does this come from, and can I check it?

The butterflies returning south in autumn have never been there before. The figure is taken from National Park Service, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.

Is this really a animals fact?

Yes. It sits on the Animals shelf, one of 1,090 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.

What else can I read about it?

The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.

Mondo Knows Facts

Monarch butterfly migration spans four distinct generations

The butterflies returning south in autumn have never been there before.

Spring and summer monarch generations live only a few weeks each as they migrate north across North America. A single special super-generation emerges in late summer, living up to eight months to complete the multi-thousand-kilometre return journey to wintering forests in Mexico.

Monarch In May photograph — Kenneth Dwain Harrelson · CC BY-SA 3.0 · licence · source

Where this comes from

National Park Service

Facts that can change over time are reviewed and updated. If something here looks wrong, Mondo would rather know than be confidently incorrect.

Go further

Nature & Animals trivia Date Calculator

More facts like this

Arctic terns complete the longest migration of any animalArctic terns fly about 90,000 kilometres annually from pole to pole.Dung beetles navigate in straight lines using the Milky WayNight-active dung beetles use the starry sky gradient to roll dung balls.Leafcutter ants cultivate subterranean fungus gardens for foodAnts chop leaves not for eating, but to feed underground fungal crops.Periodical cicadas emerge every 13 or 17 prime-numbered yearsPrime year lifecycles minimize synchronization with predator cycles.A single silkworm cocoon yields up to 900 metres of silk threadDomestic silkworms spin continuous protein threads to form cocoons.Praying mantises possess 3D vision unlike any other insectMantises evaluate prey distance using unique stereoscopic depth perception.

Tags: monarch, insects, migration

Monarch butterfly migration spans four distinct generations: the short answers

Where does this come from, and can I check it?: The butterflies returning south in autumn have never been there before. The figure is taken from National Park Service, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.
Is this really a animals fact?: Yes. It sits on the Animals shelf, one of 1,090 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.
What else can I read about it?: The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.